Travis County Appraisal District refuses to give Cedar Park’s Travis County property owners a tax break

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 @ 11:18AM

The taxpayers of Cedar Park in Travis County are entitled to a homestead exemption from property taxes equal to 1% of the appraised value of the residential homestead property, but not less than $10,000.

The Travis County Appraisal District’s job was to implement the exemption, not make their own policy. The property taxpayers are being punished by an unelected body which may lead to the state government stepping in to help the property taxpayers get the tax break they are supposed to receive. If, in fact, the law needs clarified so the Appraisal District performs the ministerial act of implementing the tax break enacted by Cedar Park, I’ll take the lead in making that change to state law.

Rep. Workman has served the people of District 47 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2011. He serves on the House Committees on Natural Resources and Business & Industry.

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Background:
The corporate boundaries of the City of Cedar Park are in both Williamson and Travis County. The Travis County residents of Cedar Park reside within House District 47.

As taken from Senator Schwertner’s letter to the Texas Attorney General: “On April 26, 2018, the City [of Cedar Park] – a home-rule municipality situated in both Williamson and Travis Counties – adopted an ordinance providing its first-ever local residential homestead property tax exemption. This ordinance was adopted per Texas Tax Code Sec. l l.13(n) and provides for an exemption equal to 1% of the appraised value of the residential homestead property, but not less than $10,000. According to Texas Tax Code Sec. 1 l.13(n), local residential homestead exemptions must be adopted by July 1st of each year to be effective for the upcoming tax year.”

“On May 11, 2018, the City forwarded notice of this new ordinance to both the Williamson County and Travis County Central Appraisal Districts (“WCAD” and “TCAD,” respectively). The current WCAD certified tax roll for the upcoming 2019 tax year reflects the adopted 1%/$10,000 exemption. TCAD, however, refused to implement the City’s homestead exemption as adopted and instead forwarded a certified tax roll reflecting a $5,000 minimum
amount, claiming state law does not authorize the City to adopt a $10,000 minimum. In doing so, TCAD unilaterally modified the City’s duly-adopted homestead exemption (from a $10,000 minimum to a $5,000 minimum).”